smiley

1 of 2

adjective

smil·​ey ˈsmī-lē How to pronounce smiley (audio)
: having a smile : smiling often
smiley kids

smiley

2 of 2

noun

Examples of smiley in a Sentence

Adjective She's a very smiley kid.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Khan covers the smiley star logo with a photograph of Coral Reef restaurant — a local Polynesian favorite that, until its closure 1994, resided where the fast food stop now stands. Calista Oetama, Sacbee.com, 11 June 2025 Her husband Ryan Reynolds, 48, shared a smiley photo of himself leaning against a signpost in New York City on his Instagram Stories that night, a photo taken by Lively. Jack Smart, People.com, 12 June 2025
Noun
In China, for instance, the lack of expression around the eyes of many common smileys, such as 🙂, gives them a dismissive or mocking air, whereas the more expressive eyes of 😁 and 😄 are less ambiguous. Longreads, 1 July 2025 Repurpose a small jar or two, paint the inside white, and draw some smileys on the outside. Lauren Thomann, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for smiley

Word History

Etymology

Noun

short for smiley face

First Known Use

Adjective

1848, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1987, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of smiley was in 1848

Cite this Entry

“Smiley.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smiley. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

smiley

1 of 2 adjective
smil·​ey ˈsmī-lē How to pronounce smiley (audio)
: exhibiting a smile : frequently smiling

smiley

2 of 2 noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!